Patient transferring device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 5., 1949 INVENTOR Arnold 1?. Butler av M ATTORNEYS Jan. 12, 1954' A. A. BUTLER PATIENT TRANSFERING DEVICE Filed Feb 5. 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 14172010 fl..BuiZer ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 12,1954

2,665,432 PATIENT TRANSFERRING DEVICE Arnold A. Butler, French Camp, Califi, assignor of two per cent to Florence A. Raymond and two per cent to Margaret Hill, both of Tracy, C

Application February 5, 1949, Serial No. 74,805

4 Claims.

This invention relates'to,and it is an object to provide, a novel device for transferring an unconscious or incapacitated patient from one support to another, as-for example-from an operating table to a wheeled stretcher or gurney, as it is called or from the gurney to a hospital bed.

Another object is to provide a patient transferring device, as above, which includes a transfer sheet beneath the patient, and a novel pull mechanism mounted on the support to which the patient is to be transferred; said mechanism being arranged to move the transfer sheet with an even lateral pull away from end to end of said sheet.

A further object of the invention is to provide a patient transferring device, as in the preceding paragraph, in which said mechanism incorporates a hand actuated Windlass and a flexible pull unit extending from the Windlass to the transfer sheet; being detachably connected to the latter.

An additional object of the invenion is to providet a patient transferring device which is detachably mounted whereby said device may be used in connection with a gurney or other patient support, such as a hospital bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a patient transferrin device which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable patient transferring device, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the transfer sheet and the flexible pull unit in cooperative engagement, but detached from the remainder of the device.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device illustrating the manner of its use.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the transfer sheet and the flexible pull unit in cooperative engagement, but detached from the remainder of the device.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the device is here shownby way of example-as mounted in connection with a hospital gurney, indicated generally at I, which gurney includes a supporting frame 2 having corner posts 3; the latter being mounted at their lower ends in connection with swivel caster wheels 4. Additionally, the gurney carries a patient support in the form of a mattress 5.

The patient transferring device includes an upstanding, elongated frame, indicated generally at 6, disposed along one side of the gurney I. This 2 frame 6 comprises vertical end posts 1 and 8, said posts being connected together in rigid relation by a horizontal bottom bar 9.

An elongated windless or roller I0 extends between the upper ends of the end posts 1 and 8, and said roller I0 includes end spindles II carried in journals I2 on said posts 1 and 8.

At either end the corresponding spindle II is adapted to receive a hand crank I3 provided for the purpose of rotating the roller I0.

Below the horizontal bottom bar 9 the device includes a pair of dependent legs I4 and I5; the leg I4 being a downward extension of the end post I. The leg I5 is initially separate from the frame 6 and is mounted in connection with such frame, and for adjustment therealong, as follows:

The leg I5 is fitted at its upper end with a horizontal mounting sleeve I B which slidably engages on the horizontal bottom bar 9 so that said leg I5 may be moved or adjusted to alter the span between the latter and leg I4.

To prevent rotation of the mounting sleeve It, without restricting sliding thereof axially, the following is provided: V

A horizontal guide bar I! is included in frame 6 above the bottom bar 9, and a guide sleeve I8 runs on said bar I1; there being a connecting post I9 between the sleeves I6 and I8. As so connected both sleeves can slide axially but cannot rotate, holding leg I5 in proper downwardly projecting relation.

The frame 6, including the roller I0, is mounted vertically along one side of the gurney I, or other bed-like patient support, as follows:

Brackets 20 are secured by clamps 2| to the adjacent corner posts 3 of the gurney, such brackets 20 projecting laterally outward and including upstanding stems 22. The legs I4 and adjustable to vary the span between legs I 4 and I5, the device can be attached, without difliculty, to gurneys, or the like, of different lengths.

Set screws 23 on legs I4 and I5 are provided so that the elevation of'frame 6 can be selectively adjusted to dispose the roller I 0 in a plane slightly above the mattress 5.

The numeral 24 indicates a flexible, patient transfer sheet adapted to be disposed beneath the patient on a bed-like support, other than the gurney I, such as an operating table indicated diagrammatically at 25. The transfer sheet 24 is preferably of canvas reinforced by a plurality of transverse, flexible straps 26 and longitudinal, flexible, edge straps 21; there being eyes 23 through the sheet 24 adjacent each end of the transverse straps 26.

An elongated, rectangular, and flexible pull unit, indicated generally at 29, detachably connects between the adjacent side of the patient transfer sheet 24 and roller ID; such pull unit 29 comprising transverse, flexible pull straps 38 connected at the ends by longitudinal, flexible, edge straps 31. At' one end the pull straps 30 are fitted with hooks 32, while the opposite ends have eyes 33.

When the device is in use to transfer a patient from the operating table 25 to the mattress .5 of the gurney, alongside the table 25, the frame 6 is on the side of the gurney opposite .said table. The pull unit is connected between the'roller IE3 and adjacent edge of the transfer sheet '24 by engaging the hooks 32 with corresponding eyes 28, and by engaging eyes 33 with corresponding'hooks 3% on roller 10. Thereafter, with rotation of roller Ill by crank 13in a direction to wind the flexible pull unit 29 onto said roller, the sheet 24 with the patient thereon, is pulled laterally and readily transferred from the operating table 25 to the mattress 5 of the gurney 1.

By a like operation, but with the frame 6 mounted on a hospital bed (not shown) the patient can be transferred from the gurney to said bed.

Under certain conditions it may be desirable to transfer a patient by the device from the gurney i to the operating table 25, and to do this requires only the mounting of frame 6 on one side of said table, followed by operation of the device, as hereinbefore described.

The device functions easily and smoothly to transfer patients, without manual lifting, from one bed-like support to another; the transfer being accomplished with an even, positive pull on one side of the transfer sheet 24.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

-While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred consctruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as'defined by the appended claims.

l-laving thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. Apparatus for transferring a person from a first bed like support to a secondbed like support when the two are disposed in side by .side relation, such apparatus comprising a flexible transfer sheet adapted to overlie anadrest on the first support beneath such person, a frame, means for attaching said frame to the second support on the side thereof remote from the first support, a roller supported'in the frame to lie longitudinally of the second support, means to rotate the roller, a flexible pull unit mounted in winding relation on the roller and adapted'to overlie the second support, and means for quickly detachably connecting the outer edge of the pull unit to one edge of the transfer sheet.

2. Apparatus for transferring a personfrom a first bed-like support to a second bed-like support when the two are disposed in side by side relation, such apparatus comprising a flexible transfer sheet adapted to overlie and rest on the first support beneath such person, a frame, means for attaching said frame to the second support on the side thereof remote from the first support, a roller supported in the frame to lie longitudinally of the second support, means to rotate the roller, and a flexible pull unit mounted in winding relation on the roller and adapted to overlie the second support and connected along its outer edge to one edge of the transfer sheet; the frame including a lower longitudinal bar, a leg fixed on and rigid with the bar at one end thereof, another bar rigid with but spaced from and parallel to said lower bar and extending lengthwise thereof from the other end thereof, connected sleeves slidable on the bars, and another leg fixed to and depending from the lower sleeve; said frame attaching means comprising brackets adapted to be secured to said other support .and in which the legs are supportingly engaged.

3,. Apparatus for transferring a person from a first bed-like support to a second bed-like sup port when the two are disposed in side by side relation, such apparatus comprising a flexible transfer sheet adapted to overlie and rest on the first support beneath such person, a frame, means for attaching said frame to the second support on the side thereof remote from the first support, a roller supported in the frame to lie longitudinally of the second support, means to rotate the roller, and .a flexible pull unit mounted in winding relation .on the roller and adapted to overlie the second support and connected along its outer edge to one edge of the transfer sheet; the-frame attaching means including depending legs on the framegbrackets adapted to be secured to said other support and in which the legs are'mounted; the brackets projecting laterally out from said support to dispose the frame laterally out from the support sufficiently to provide a predetermined .amount of clearance between the .frame and legs and the adjacent side of the support.

l. Apparatus for transferringa personfrom a first bed-like support .to a second bed-like support when the two are disposed inside by side relation, such apparatus comprising a flexible transfersheet adapted to overlie and rest on the firstsupport beneath such person, a frame, means forattaching said frame to the SGCOl'ldzSllDlJGIt on the side thereof remote from the first support, a roller supported in the frame to .lie longitudinally of the second support, means torotate the roller, and a flexible pull'unit mounted in winding relation on the roller and adapted to overlie the second support and connected along its-outer edge :to one edge of the transfer sheet; the frame including depending legs and the frame attaching means comprising brackets adapted to be secured to said other support and in which the legsrare mounted; with means mounting one leg on the frame for adjustment lengthwise thereof.

.A'RNOLD A. BUTLER.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date $885,329 Ellis Apr; 21,1908 936,107 Floyd Oct. 5, 1909 1,487,150 Deakins Mar. 18, 1924 1,829,274 Gilroy -Oct. 27, 1931 2,288,410 Carter July 16, 1-940 ;2,528;08 Gilleland Oct. 31,1950

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 199,428 Germany Sept-20, 1898 aL-Av 

